Back in the 2023 season, McCaffrey showcased what kind of player he's capable of being when healthy. He played in 16 regular seasons, carrying the football 272 times for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry. In addition, he caught 67 passes for 564 yards and seven more scores.

The 49ers fell apart offensively with Christian McCaffrey not being active in the backfield. But S.F. gave a promising update Thursday.

The San Francisco 49ers will only be as good as some of their top players during the 2025-26 season. For somebody like Christian McCaffrey, it’s unfair to say, but the season could rely on him being healthy.